Metacryptoseius persicus Kazemi & Moraza

Kazemi, Shahrooz, Moraza, Mar A L., Kamali, Karim & Saboori, Alireza, 2008, A new genus and three new species of Eviphididae (Acari: Mesostigmata) associated with scarab beetles in Iran, Zootaxa 1852, pp. 1-20 : 4-9

Metacryptoseius persicus Kazemi & Moraza sp. nov.

( Figs 1–15 )

Diagnosis. Dorsal shield elongate-oval with irregular lateral and posterior margins, slightly narrowed posteriorly; dorsal setal length of adults and nymphs slightly variable; setae JV5 nearly five times longer than J5 and Z 5 in female; s2 approximately equal in length with z2 and slightly longer than j3; j2 three times longer than z1; dorsal characters of adult male like those of female, except JV5, that is shorter, nearly twice longer than J5 and other setae subequal in length. Sternal setae st2 shorter than distance to st3. Peritreme terminates between coxae I and II or anterior to margin of coxae II. Anal shield pear-shaped.

Description. Female. Idiosoma. Length: 620–753, width: 483–516 (n=5).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 6 ). Dorsal shield 644–647 long, 390–411 wide, with striations antero-laterally, elongate-oval, with irregular margins and 26 pairs of simple and smooth setae: setae z2 (45) and s2 (41) subequal in length; j2 (53) approximately three times longer than z1 (20); j2> j3 (28–34 long); opisthonotal central setae are shortest (16–18 long); longest dorsal setae not more than three times longer than J5 (16 long); setae on soft cuticle, r5 (ca 42), s6 (47), R1 (29), R3 (42), R4 (38), R5 (42–50). Anterolateral incisions of dorsal shield reaching to level of setae j3. Dorsal poroidotaxy and adenotaxy typical of genus.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 10 ). Tritosternal base 33 long, laciniae 90 long; sternal shield granulated and reticulate-striate anteriorly (174 long, 130 wide at level of setae st2), with posterior margin almost straight, bearing setae st1 (41), st2 (52), st3 (51) and two pairs of lyrifissures, first pair oriented diagonally, but not always stable; st4 (55) and third pair of sternal lyrifissures on minute metasternal plates ( Fig. 11 ). Genital shield (160 long, 101 wide at level of genital setae) as defined in genus, with convex posterior margin; st5 58 long. Opisthogaster with five pairs of simple setae: JV1 (48), JV2 (46), JV5 (70), ZV2 (36) and ZV3 (30). Peritremes 257 long. Anal shield narrow, pear-shaped, with rounded anterior margin (132 long, 101 wide); para-anal setae 32 long, postanal 49 long.

Gnathosoma . Gnathotectum triangular, with slightly serrate margin ( Fig. 8 ); subcapitulum typical for genus ( Fig. 7 ). Hypostomal (h1, h2, h3) and capitular setae simple and smooth, 23, 39, 20 and 20 long respectively. Corniculi wide and stout, 36–38 long. Chelicerae 174 long and 37 wide, with movable digit (63 long from tip to base) longer than fixed digit (44 long from tip to the dorsal lyrifissure) ( Fig. 9 ).

Legs. Leg chaetotaxy typical for genus; av -1 (18 long) thickened and three dentate apically; legs I–IV lengths, 461, 404, 413 and 532 respectively.

Male. Idiosoma. Length: 609–639, width: 425–446 (n=3).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 12 ). Dorsal shield 593–620 long, 360–382 wide. Dorsal characters similar to female, but lengths of setae vary, setae S4 are off shield; podonotal setae 23–32 long (except z1 =12, j1 =19, z2 =46> s2= 32); opisthonotal setae 14–27 long; J5 14 long.

Ventral idiosoma. Tritosternal base shorter than that of female (19 long), laciniae 94 long; sternogenital shield (303 long, 120 wide at level of st2 and 70 at level of st5) with anterior half reticulate, remainder evenly granulate, except area between setae st5 which is finely punctate, with setae st1, st2, st3, st4, st5 thickened (38, 37, 39, 34, 37 long respectively) and three pairs of lyrifissures; genital opening 31 wide. Peritremes longer than those of female (270 long). Ventral adenotaxy and poroidotaxy as in female; JV5 (36–39 long) shorter than those of female, almost twice J5; ventral setae JV1 (30) and JV2 (33) longer than ZV2 (24) and ZV3 (13 long); anal shield pear-shaped, 130 long and 111 wide.

Gnathosoma . Curniculi with rounded tips ( Fig. 14 ); chelicera 157 long, 40 width; fixed chela 29 long, movable chela 52 long; spermatodactyl 18 long ( Fig. 13 ).

Legs. Chaetotaxy typical of genus. Tarsal seta av -1 (10 long) approximately conical, bifid; tarsal seta pv -1 with basal third broad and rest very slender ( Fig. 15 ). Length of legs I-IV, 385, 385, 400 and 470 respectively.

Deutonymph. Idiosoma. Length: 471–523, width: 323–349 (n=4).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 4 ). Dorsal shield (465–483 length, 259–271 width) finely punctate, with 24 pairs of setae; setae j1-j 6 18-25 long; setae z1 11 long, z 2 16-22, z4, z5, s2 and s4 16 and s5 19 long; soft cuticle with setae r2 = r3 = r5 = s6 (26 long) in podonotal region and setae R1 (10-19), R3-R5 (16) and sometimes S4 (16) in opisthonotal region; setae on opisthonotal region 12-13 long (setae J and Z) and 20 long (setae S).

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 5 ). Tritosternal base ca 39 long, laciniae ca 65 long; sternal shield with four pairs of setae (st1 = st2 = st3, 35-36 long and st4 25 long), three pairs of lyrifissures; setae st5 (22 long) and paragenital lyrifissures iv5 inserted on soft cuticle at level of posterior margin of the shield. Endopodal shields present between coxae II-III and coxae III-IV present. Opisthogaster with five pairs of ventral setae JV1 (29), JV2 (22), JV5 (28), ZV2 (18) and ZV3 (16). Peritreme extending to posterior margin of coxae I, 247 long; peritrematal shield originating opposite middle of coxae I, with ip1 on anterior edge of peritrematal shield and glands gp1 situated mediad to peritreme, between coxae II and III; poststigmatic glands gp2 on soft cuticle. Anal shield subtriangular (81 long, 101 wide).

Gnathosoma . Gnathotectum, subcapitulum and deutosternum typical of genus; corniculi with pointed tips and wide bases; movable digit of chelicerae 45 long, fixed digit (from dorsal lyrifissure) 32 long.

Legs. Pretarsi, claws, and chaetotaxy of legs I-IV as those of adult female. Length of legs I-IV: 361, 318, 333 and 376 respectively. Seta av -1 (14 long) on tarsi II-IV modified like in female.

Protonymph. Idiosoma. Length: 510, width: 293.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 1 ). Dorsum with sclerotized podonotal (294 long, 258 wide) and opisthonotal (161 long, 242 wide) shields with punctate cuticle. Central opisthonotal setae ca 10 long; other dorsal setae longer (14–19 long).

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 2 ). Tritosternum with smooth base (46 long) and free pilose laciniae (61 long). Sternal shield with indistinct outline; setae st1, st2, st3 smooth, 20–22 long; st5 14 long; ventral setae with larval complement of smooth setae JV1, JV2, JV5 and ZV2 (14–20 long); pores gv2 close to posterior margin of coxa IV. Anal shield (74 long, 56 wide) pear-shaped, with rounded anterior margins; circum-anal setae as other ventral setae. Peritreme (43 long) and peritrematal shield short and extending to posterior margin of coxae III or anterior margin of coxae IV.

Gnathosoma . Gnathotectum triangular, serrate ( Fig. 3 ); length of chelicera 93, width 32; fixed chela 24 long; movable chela 35 long.

Legs. Leg chaetotaxy typical of genus. Seta av -1 (10 long) on tarsi II–IV modified. Length of legs I, II, III and IV 285, 242, 251 and 279 respectively.

Material examined. Holotype. Female. NE Iran, North Khorasan province, Esfarayen (36º 55' 29" N, 57º 44' 08" E), altitude 1,471 m, ex Scarabaeus transcaspicus , 26 June 2007 [deposited in Acarological Collection, Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran ( AETMU)]. Paratypes. 27 females, 7 males, 14 deutonymphs, 1 protonymph, same locality and host data as holotype (deposited in AETMU); 2 females, 1 male, 1 deutonymph, same data as holotype [deposited in Museum of Zoology, Navarra University, Pamplona, Spain (MZUNAV)]; 2 females: NE Iran, Razavi Khorasan province, Sarakhs, Bazangan Lake (36º 18' 549" N, 60º 29' 061" E), altitude 858 m, ex Copris hispanus , 5 May 2007 (deposited in AETMU); 31 females, 5 males and 2 deutonymphs, same locality data as previous specimens, but from Scarabaeus transcaspicus (deposited in AETMU); 1 female, 1 male, with same locality and host data as latter paratypes [deposited in Museum of Zoology, Tehran University, Karaj, Iran ( MZTU)].

Etymology. The species epithet “ persicus ” refers to the Latin name of Iran, the country of origin of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Metacryptoseius persicus gen. nov., sp. nov .. Protonymph. 1. Dorsal idiosoma; 2. Ventral idiosoma; 3. Gnathotectum.

FIGURES 4 – 5. Metacryptoseius persicus gen. nov., sp. nov .. Deutonymph. 4. Dorsal idiosoma; 5. Ventral idiosoma. Setae added to protonymphal complement denoted without parentheses.

FIGURES 6 – 9. Metacryptoseius persicus gen. nov., sp. nov., Female. 6. Dorsal idiosoma; 7. Subcapitulum; 8. Gnathotectum; 9. Chelicera, latero-antiaxial view.

FIGURES 10 – 15. Metacryptoseius persicus gen. nov., sp. nov. 10. Female, ventral idiosoma; 11. Female, metasternal elements; 12. Male, dorsal idiosoma; 13. Male, cheliceral digits and spermatodactyl: (a) ventral view, (b) dorsal view of movable digit; 14. Male, corniculus, dorsal view; 15. Male, tip of tarsus IV, ventral view.